Game 5 risks being a blowout as the Refs will allow the Lakers to get away with murder as it's "their turn". As a OKC Thunder and Suns fan, I feel I must warn you guys about game 5.
See, more and more I'm starting to believe that refs (the entire crew) do have SOME KIND OF agenda in any series. I noticed it first with the Suns/Spurs over the years and then with the Lakers and Thunder series.
I noticed a huge difference between what a foul is between one game to the next.
After game 4 when my Thunder blew out the Lakers I told my brother - "In game 5, IN LA, they won't call hardly any fouls on the Lakers. They'll go back to letting them play and then the Thunder are finished". Sure enough, that's exactly what I remember. I'll never forget, within the first few minutes of that game 5, Russel Westbrook drove hard to the basket. He was completely mauled by several Lakers, hit on the head and slammed to the ground. It was a no call - from then on out, from what I remember the Thunder got blown out and there were virtually no foul calls on obvious fouls all night. We just weren't supposed to win that game.
In OKC they were calling it closer and no longer seemed to let them play. Laker fans thought the refs were cheating. I thought the refs were doing a good job, but the truth is both of us were right. THE REFS ARE INCONSISTENT WHICH IS WHAT STARTS THESE RUMORS OF CONSPIRACY. Nobody understands how a game is going to be called from one to the next and that's simply not how it should ever be. Officiating should be consistent from one game to the next.
But in games 1 and 2, Artest could hold Durant off the ball ALL NIGHT LONG, with no call. On those nights it was "good defense", but in OKC a few days later - he started getting called for holding and grabbing off the ball. Artest was like, what!?? Can't blame him.
I'm not trying to say there's even a conspiracy. But I am saying that there seems to be some kind of odd back and forth between how the refs call games. Why do refs "let them play" one game, and then call it close the next? I can only guess that they do this in order to make the series more competitive.
I think Laker fans have a legit concern after watching game 4 again. I saw numerous times where the Suns did clearly cause contact and/or foul the Lakers, BUT THIS TIME the refs let a LOT of them go. But if the Lakers fouled, it was called. SOME of that is that the Suns are more athletic, but just wait till game 5..
What I'm trying to tell you is that in all probability, in game 5, this time the Ref pendulum swings to the Lakers. They'll get all the foul calls and more importantly they'll be able to foul without much being called.
I could be wrong, but this is the exact setup as game 5 with the Lakers and Thunder. Remember that horrid playoff game of Bruce Bowen fouling Steve Nash all night.. I hope it doesn't come out like that, but expect that it will.
May the Suns win, regardless!
See, more and more I'm starting to believe that refs (the entire crew) do have SOME KIND OF agenda in any series. I noticed it first with the Suns/Spurs over the years and then with the Lakers and Thunder series.
I noticed a huge difference between what a foul is between one game to the next.
After game 4 when my Thunder blew out the Lakers I told my brother - "In game 5, IN LA, they won't call hardly any fouls on the Lakers. They'll go back to letting them play and then the Thunder are finished". Sure enough, that's exactly what I remember. I'll never forget, within the first few minutes of that game 5, Russel Westbrook drove hard to the basket. He was completely mauled by several Lakers, hit on the head and slammed to the ground. It was a no call - from then on out, from what I remember the Thunder got blown out and there were virtually no foul calls on obvious fouls all night. We just weren't supposed to win that game.
In OKC they were calling it closer and no longer seemed to let them play. Laker fans thought the refs were cheating. I thought the refs were doing a good job, but the truth is both of us were right. THE REFS ARE INCONSISTENT WHICH IS WHAT STARTS THESE RUMORS OF CONSPIRACY. Nobody understands how a game is going to be called from one to the next and that's simply not how it should ever be. Officiating should be consistent from one game to the next.
But in games 1 and 2, Artest could hold Durant off the ball ALL NIGHT LONG, with no call. On those nights it was "good defense", but in OKC a few days later - he started getting called for holding and grabbing off the ball. Artest was like, what!?? Can't blame him.
I'm not trying to say there's even a conspiracy. But I am saying that there seems to be some kind of odd back and forth between how the refs call games. Why do refs "let them play" one game, and then call it close the next? I can only guess that they do this in order to make the series more competitive.
I think Laker fans have a legit concern after watching game 4 again. I saw numerous times where the Suns did clearly cause contact and/or foul the Lakers, BUT THIS TIME the refs let a LOT of them go. But if the Lakers fouled, it was called. SOME of that is that the Suns are more athletic, but just wait till game 5..
What I'm trying to tell you is that in all probability, in game 5, this time the Ref pendulum swings to the Lakers. They'll get all the foul calls and more importantly they'll be able to foul without much being called.
I could be wrong, but this is the exact setup as game 5 with the Lakers and Thunder. Remember that horrid playoff game of Bruce Bowen fouling Steve Nash all night.. I hope it doesn't come out like that, but expect that it will.
May the Suns win, regardless!
